GeorgiaPeach Sails the Atlantic on Splendor

[KenzSailing]

21 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Well, who knew?  Really?  How fascinating that is!  No wonder people have a love-hate relationship with cilantro!

 

Yep, same with beets.  Me, I love a good beet salad.  Once, in a hoity-toity restaurant my spouse, who had ordered a beet appetizer, looked up from it and pronounced "beets is beets."  This was not an endorsement.

 

https://www.justbeetit.com/beet-blog-index/hate-beets-that-taste-like-dirt-science-has-the-answer 

[Techno123]

2 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

Thanks Techno123,

I’m doing the insurance after reading Martin Lewis weekly newsletter! He is the financial guru of us all.

He absolutely is 👍👍

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Remember that old song “Hippy Hippy Shake?”  You shake it to the left, you shake it to the right….well last night we were walking it to the left, walking it to the right.  She was rolling side to side so that it was impossible to walk a straight line.  It was fun to watch passengers ahead of us weaving down the hallways, as I’m sure the passengers behind us were doing.  It wasn’t egregious, but enough that it made you cautious.

 

I was wishing someone was filming the comedy show as we tried to walk down the atrium stairs last night.  I was hanging on to my husband’s arm but we were rarely on the same step simultaneously and I think I touched some stairs three or four times.  People probably wondered if we were coming down or going up.  Or trying to do a poor imitation of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing down a staircase.  I was relieved when we finally lurched our way to the bottom step.

 

We are doing the special wine luncheon today, which is a first.  I don’t know if I will or should take photos.  If I can be unobtrusive I will try but don’t want to be too much of a tourist.  I’ll let you know about it though.  If I’m drinking wine at lunch there may be a nap in my future this afternoon.

 

I’m struggling to upload a photo of the the floor in the spa area.  I thought it was so pretty.  I’m not a spa person but have heard several positive comments about the spa services, BTW.

Today is hot.  It feels like 85 to me.  I definitely did not pack correctly for this trip.  I brought too little for warm weather and too much for cold.  I anticipated it being much colder as we headed south.  I know San Juan is usually about 85 this time of year so I guess the warm weather will continue till Miami.  I’ll let you know.

 

 

 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Remember that old song “Hippy Hippy Shake?”  You shake it to the left, you shake it to the right….well last night we were walking it to the left, walking it to the right.  She was rolling side to side so that it was impossible to walk a straight line.  It was fun to watch passengers ahead of us weaving down the hallways, as I’m sure the passengers behind us were doing.  It wasn’t egregious, but enough that it made you cautious.

 

I was wishing someone was filming the comedy show as we tried to walk down the atrium stairs last night.  I was hanging on to my husband’s arm but we were rarely on the same step simultaneously and I think I touched some stairs three or four times.  People probably wondered if we were coming down or going up.  Or trying to do a poor imitation of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing down a staircase.  I was relieved when we finally lurched our way to the bottom step.

 

We are doing the special wine luncheon today, which is a first.  I don’t know if I will or should take photos.  If I can be unobtrusive I will try but don’t want to be too much of a tourist.  I’ll let you know about it though.  If I’m drinking wine at lunch there may be a nap in my future this afternoon.

 

I’m struggling to upload a photo of the the floor in the spa area.  I thought it was so pretty.  I’m not a spa person but have heard several positive comments about the spa services, BTW.

Today is hot.  It feels like 85 to me.  I definitely did not pack correctly for this trip.  I brought too little for warm weather and too much for cold.  I anticipated it being much colder as we headed south.  I know San Juan is usually about 85 this time of year so I guess the warm weather will continue till Miami.  I’ll let you know.

 

 

 

[CruiserFromMaine]

@GeorgiaPeach51 I’m just getting caught up on this thread and loving it! We board the Splendor in January, first time on Regent and we’re really looking forward to it. 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

So.  The wine luncheon was fantastic. Thoroughly yummy and well worth it.  Here is the menu.

 

And, just for you, I DID take photos.  😃. 
Tuna and avocado poke

Seared scallops

Seared Barbary Duck Breast

Black Angus Beef Bulgogi

Bavarian Lemon Crème…something…sorry I cut it off in the photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

One note about the wine luncheon.  It’s a lotta wine!  Especially for those of us who are lightweight drinkers. (Moi).  We went straight from the lunch to the coffee connection for some high test coffee, also known as the kind with caffeine in it.  Otherwise, people would be stepping over me as I snoozed on the floor.  It is helpful that Pacific Rim and the coffee place are just steps away from each other.  You don’t have to wobble very far.

 

My husband used to drink coffee that was so weak you had to help it out of the cup, but he finally learned to like strong coffee.  Now, however, we have both gotten to be such hothouse flowers about caffeine in the afternoons because it keeps us awake half the night.  I miss the days when I could have real coffee any time I wanted. Anyway, I give the wine luncheon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

 

Here is the daily for tomorrow.  We are in San Juan, and they announced today that everyone must leave the ship whether you are on a tour or not.  They will disembark the passengers doing tours first, then will go deck by deck announcing when each group of remaining passengers must leave the ship, passport and key card in hand.  No idea if they go top to bottom, or bottom to top.  I’ll let you know how this goes.  I’ve never encountered this before and am a little puzzled about why it is being done. I just know the ship has to be empty of passengers before we will be allowed to board again..  Stay tuned!

 

[RELS]

20 minutes ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

We are in San Juan, and they announced today that everyone must leave the ship whether you are on a tour or not.

 

Very interested in any explanation you can post. We'll be in San Juan in a week (Dec 6) on the Splendor's next cruise, so we're very curious.

[Qld13]

Hi GP

 

Is there a charge for the wine luncheon please?

 

On the countdown now to our January 21st cruise, can't wait, 3 years since we have left Australia and first time on Splendor. We got off Explorer as the world shutdown!! 😢

 

Your writings have been great and have followed both your cruises jealously 😀

[kjbacon]

The wine lunch pictures are fantastic! Who is the sommelier on Splendor? We board in about 2 months and are so looking forward to it.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

3 hours ago, Qld13 said:

Hi GP

 

Is there a charge for the wine luncheon please?

 

On the countdown now to our January 21st cruise, can't wait, 3 years since we have left Australia and first time on Splendor. We got off Explorer as the world shutdown!! 😢

 

Your writings have been great and have followed both your cruises jealously 😀

Yes, there is a charge.  It was $169 per person.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

2 hours ago, kjbacon said:

The wine lunch pictures are fantastic! Who is the sommelier on Splendor? We board in about 2 months and are so looking forward to it.

Hmmm.  That’s a good question.  There are a bunch of staff members in the restaurants who use that title, but I do not remember that I saw them wearing a tastevin around their necks…so perhaps they are more of a wine server and “suggester”.  I can try to find out if there is a true sommelier in charge of wine for you if that is what you want to know.  I would think there is but am not sure.

 

It is so exciting to have cruises ahead that are booked.  I’m glad for you!  I hope it lives up to your dreams. It certainly does for us.

Edited November 30, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[LAexNY]

9 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

One note about the wine luncheon.  It’s a lotta wine!  Especially for those of us who are lightweight drinkers. (Moi).  We went straight from the lunch to the coffee connection for some high test coffee, also known as the kind with caffeine in it.  Otherwise, people would be stepping over me as I snoozed on the floor.  It is helpful that Pacific Rim and the coffee place are just steps away from each other.  You don’t have to wobble very far.

 

My husband used to drink coffee that was so weak you had to help it out of the cup, but he finally learned to like strong coffee.  Now, however, we have both gotten to be such hothouse flowers about caffeine in the afternoons because it keeps us awake half the night.  I miss the days when I could have real coffee any time I wanted. Anyway, I give the wine luncheon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

 

Here is the daily for tomorrow.  We are in San Juan, and they announced today that everyone must leave the ship whether you are on a tour or not.  They will disembark the passengers doing tours first, then will go deck by deck announcing when each group of remaining passengers must leave the ship, passport and key card in hand.  No idea if they go top to bottom, or bottom to top.  I’ll let you know how this goes.  I’ve never encountered this before and am a little puzzled about why it is being done. I just know the ship has to be empty of passengers before we will be allowed to board again..  Stay tuned!

 

We are entering the U.S. for the first time after being in Europe.  No different from flying to the U.S. from Europe or anywhere else.  You go through customs and immigration for the first time you arrive in the U.S.

[kjbacon]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Hmmm.  That’s a good question.  There are a bunch of staff members in the restaurants who use that title, but I do not remember that I saw them wearing a tastevin around their necks…so perhaps they are more of a wine server and “suggester”.  I can try to find out if there is a true sommelier in charge of wine for you if that is what you want to know.  I would think there is but am not sure.

 

It is so exciting to have cruises ahead that are booked.  I’m glad for you!  I hope it lives up to your dreams. It certainly does for us.

Thanks so much but not necessary. We’ve always had good wine experiences on board! We have learned alot from Georgiana on the explorer and look forward to learning (and tasting) more 🍷

[irishwitchy]

Love, Georgiana!  She was on Splendor back in the early summer with us.  We will be on the Explorer in January -  I really hoping she is sailing with us!  

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Well, the immigration inspection was a disappointing fiasco, but mostly not, I think, due to Regent.  Certain aspects of it are out of Regent control.  They have to comply with Customs and Border requirements, and also maritime law.  There were a lot of moving pieces that made this a fur ball. 
 

 

First, they called crew members by sections to disembark and present documentation.  Then there was a mandatory safety inspection or drill of some kind for the crew.  Then they started calling the tours by number.  If you were on a tour you got to get off before the rest of the ship.  Makes sense.  So we had a peaceful morning, reading, drinking coffee, etc.  They called by deck numbers for the rest of us, starting with deck 12.  They were the most unfortunate ones,  because they had to sit longer in what I thought was a very chilly terminal on hard plastic chairs.

 

We were called at about 10:30, in the group where it was announced that EVERYONE ELSE MUST NOW LEAVE THE SHIP.  You walk off the ship, turn left, enter the building, go up the stairs or escalator and into a short line to visit with a border control agent.  The agents were all affable as far as I could tell.  Then back down an escalator to either exit the building or head to the plastic chairs to wait to board the ship.

 

And here is where it got egregious.  We sat for about an hour, waiting for everyone to clear the ship.  But there was no one getting off the ship.  There was zero information being given and the natives started to get restless.  A bunch lined up to get back on the ship then bit by but trailed back onto the ship.  Still no information. 
 

Finally, after we had sat about 1 hour, 15 minutes for those of us who got off the ship last, and about 2 hours for those who got off the ship first, we got in line to get back on the ship and down the gangplank come two people…..people at the front of the line began to boo them loudly and aggressively!  Prior to their exit from the ship a ship’s officer of some kind came down the line apologizing and saying something about having to search the ship for people, and she used the word “hiding”.  The couple who were hiding or sleeping or whatever they were doing seemed rather nonchalant to me, the man in particular.  So these two doofusses kept about 200 people waiting because they were too sneaky or lazy or lackadaisical or dumb to adhere to what was required, and in doing so, inconvenienced so many people.

 

I have no doubt that the ship staff was searching for them…. But if they were hiding in their room it seems like their suite attendant could have and would have just opened their cabin door and found them.  So, that is all I know.  If I discover more I will fill you in.

 

Now, here is where I find fault with Regent.  We met and had dinner with a lovely couple who are older.  They both use walking canes and for distances she has to use a wheelchair.  He is a very spry 92!  But they were both anxious about how far they would be required to walk once off the ship, so last night my husband went to reception to seek details about the disembarkation today.  He was assured that there would be plenty of help available and plenty of wheelchairs, and he passed that information on to the couple so they would not worry.

 

Well, they were on deck 12, first off, and the promised assistance was not there.  She did get a wheelchair but he did not.  In fact, because there was so little assistance within the terminal, this 92 year old helped a couple who are both visually impaired and who both use white tipped canes, to navigate the escalator and the routes they needed to take.  Thee was no one there to help them!

 

I hope others on the ship who might read this can share their experience so Regent can see how to improve the things that are within their control.  I don’t know, perhaps the wheelchair assistance, etc., was under control of the port authority rather than Regent…because Regent seems to do things in a much more markedly effective and efficient manner than what we experienced today. 

[Pcardad]

7 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Yes, there is a charge.  It was $169 per person.

Up from $149 in May/June...lol.

[lprp]

37 minutes ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

The couple who were hiding or sleeping or whatever they were doing seemed rather nonchalant to me, the man in particular.  So these two doofusses kept about 200 people waiting because they were too sneaky or lazy or lackadaisical or dumb to adhere to what was required, and in doing so, inconvenienced so many people.

Where’s the angry face emoji when you need it 🤬

[gwesq]

We experienced this a couple of times on other ships. I recall one time we heard it was a disaster, waiting hours to get back on the ship (We took a tour so we had no issues). Another time, it was very smooth.  I think alot depends on the port & how many agents are there.   But the lack of wheelchairs & needed assistance was inexcusable.  

 

[Techno123]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

have no doubt that the ship staff was searching for them…. But if they were hiding in their room it seems like their suite attendant could have and would have just opened their cabin door and found them.  So, that is all I know.  If I discover more I will fill you in.

Well instead of the Regent White Glove treatment, I hope the selfish pair got the Border Force rubber glove treatment - that would have knocked the smirk off their faces 😜😠

[Dwtlion]

In my world, I would get passengers off FIRST , then crew. That way the cabin attendants  and other crew can monitor guest compliance. Under this approach, guests would not have endured the above fiasco.

[cwn]

We have gone though this arrival at a US possession just before the actual disembarkation at s US mainland port. The port has control and it can be a cluster …k!!! The worst is there is someone or several who think these rules don’t apply to them always!!! The crew usually goes off first since if there is a visa problem with a crew member, the passengers aren’t stranded in the port hall. Happened years ago on an HAL ship. 

I have problems with walking and usually need a wheelchair in this situation. Regent staff can’t go ashore with passengers. The port staff have to take care of the situation. That doesn’t always work to well. We generally wait to be the last group called the help with getting help. 
I would suggest always taking a tour  or at least planning something on your own when faced with this port situation, also when doing back to backs. The ship has to be cleared before boarding can begin for the next cruise.

Edited December 1, 2022 by cwn

[BBWC]

1 hour ago, Dwtlion said:

In my world, I would get passengers off FIRST , then crew. That way the cabin attendants  and other crew can monitor guest compliance. Under this approach, guests would not have endured the above fiasco.

This is not something Regent decides, it is US immigration authorities. I have also seen similar issues when crew did not have to face immigration. In any case, no passengers can get off until all crew are processed.
 

As for the wheelchairs, they are supposed to be provided by the port authority. Every time we leave the ship in Miami, Regent makes an announcement that they are not allowed to provide any support off the ship. I think it is because the crew’s visas don’t allow them to “work” in the US.

[cwn]

4 minutes ago, BBWC said:

This is not something Regent decides, it is US immigration authorities. I have also seen similar issues when crew did not have to face immigration. In any case, no passengers can get off until all crew are processed.
 

As for the wheelchairs, they are supposed to be provided by the port authority. Every time we leave the ship in Miami, Regent makes an announcement that they are not allowed to provide any support off the ship. I think it is because the crew’s visas don’t allow them to “work” in the US.

You said it better than I did!!!! The visa does control the crew activities.
People forget that they are not in the US driving themselves on their own schedule or in where ever their home country is.

[SkystheLimit]

We did not have to leave the ship on a TA arriving in San Juan last year.  Customs and border control always dictate the protocol. I'm not sure that the cruise line really knows what will happen until just before arrival.  Hence, they may not have procedures in place to deal with wheelchairs, etc.